Messed up our first Lager

[Shambo]

Hey guys,

We have been brewing ales for a few years now. We recently decided it would be fun to try a lager for a change. A friend said he had an extra fridge we could use.

We bought our supplies and some liquid munich lager yeast.

We started the fridge as we started the boil.

When it was all said and done the fridge wasn't to temp yet.
We put the fermenter in the fridge anyways.

Four days later I was called and told the fridge never made it past 60 degrees.

We decided to move it my garage fridge.

A few days in that fridge the lager was chilled down to 44.

I noticed the airlock had no activity and I popped the top.
There was a nice krausen ring, but there was no longer a head.

So, it looks like we messed up.
The fermentation started too hot.
We missed the d-rest.
We chilled too soon.

So my question is, what next?
Do I go ahead and rack to secondary?
Do I raise the garage fridge temperature and try to restart fermentation (if it isn't already finished)?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[RICLARK]

It doesn't sound like anything is going to be wrong with your brew. It will still be a lager just a Steam Beer. More malty and flavorful then a regular lager, At 60 degrees its possible that fermentation would be done in 4-5 days. I suggest you leave it in the 40's another week then rack to secondary. Cold Condition another few weeks and then Lager it. This beer will still be good and lagering it will bring back the cold crisp characteristics of a regular lager.Hope I make sense....

 

[david_42]

Bring it in the house & let it warm up for a couple days. Maybe the fermentation restarts, maybe not. Then chill it for lagering.

 

[Shambo]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help... and encouragement.

I think I'll do as David suggests and bring it back up to room temp.
I want to make sure it was finished fermenting before I cooled it off too much.

 

[kip]

When I do lagers I let them sit at room temp. I know it's not right but I don't have all the facilities setup so I make due. It's still quite good especially in the summer time when I'm after something lighter.... My current equipment wish list is longer than my wife has patience or space for

CHEERS

 

[dontman]

I guess I don't understand lagers very well. In fact I know I don't. The one lager I did I had it at the low 60s for a few days before it got down to low 50s. At 3 weeks it smelled like Bubble Yum.

3 months later and it is in a cold keg but a week ago when I kegged it it still was bubblegummy. Is Anchor Steam bubblegummy?